The (unofficial) Lifers Database

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Band

Slayer

Referenced in 24 episodes

Episode 253 cover

#253: In The Weeds In The Woods

April 24, 2026

Scott hosts from the North Woods with poor internet connection while Ben and Gabe join remotely to discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, where Scott won their prediction contest with Iron Maiden, Ben scored with Joy Division/New Order and Oasis, and Gabe picked up points for Billy Idol and Phil Collins despite initially choosing the latter under false pretenses about Genesis not being inducted. They also debate the merits of the new 45 RPM vinyl pressing of Local H's "As Good as Dead" 30th anniversary edition, announce an upcoming Toadies tour (with one cancelled Asbury Park date), and rank their favorite weed songs including Paul McCartney's "Let Me Roll It," Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," and Afroman's "Because I Got High.\

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#243: A Meathead Christmas

December 19, 2025

In this episode, Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser discuss the shocking death of actor/director Rob Reiner and condemn Donald Trump's insensitive reaction to it on Twitter. They also debate the merits of various Christmas and non-Christmas movies, romantic comedies of the 1990s, and the hosts' upcoming New Year's Eve shows.

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#214: Tim Hunter

April 4, 2025

Tim Hunter, director of River's Edge and episodes of Twin Peaks, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, discusses his career and the current political climate in this episode of the Lifers podcast. Hunter compares the blacklisting of his father during the McCarthy era to "Gestapo tactics" and a "blacklist of thought" under Trump. The hosts and Hunter also debate their favorite uses of heavy metal music in films.

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🎸 Replacements

#185: Johnny Wator

August 23, 2024

Johnny Wator, longtime Chicago musician and founder of Daredevil guitar pedals, discusses his experiences touring and playing in bands like The Last Vegas and The Evictions. Wator and the hosts have an in-depth discussion about 80s hair metal bands and songs, debating their favorites from that era of rock music.

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🎸 Replacements

#182: Jim DeRogatis

August 2, 2024

Jim DeRogatis, a veteran music critic, joins the Lifers podcast to discuss his career, the R. Kelly case he helped expose, and his favorite drummers. DeRogatis shares anecdotes about interviewing Kurt Cobain, touring with the band Wire, and turning down an opportunity to participate in the Surviving R. Kelly documentary.

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🎸 Replacements

#177: Dimitri Coats

June 28, 2024

Dimitri Coats, member of the rock band OFF!, discusses the making of his debut film Free LSD which is connected to the band's final album of the same name. The film took nearly 8 years to complete due to financing challenges, but Coats was determined to see the unique project through, surrounding himself with an experienced team including Twin Peaks editor Duwayne Dunham. Free LSD will be screening in theaters across the country in July and August 2023, coinciding with OFF!'s final live shows.

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🤘 Iron Maiden

#174: Angela Mullenhour

June 7, 2024

Angela Mullenhour from the Chicago band Sybaris discusses the band's upcoming album, which was originally recorded in 2011 but is just now being released. She shares her musical influences growing up in Indiana, how she started playing guitar and writing songs after moving to Chicago, and the formation of Sybaris in the early 2000s. The hosts and Angela also discuss songs related to the theme of murder.

Episode 160 cover
🎸 Replacements

#160: Bobby Talamine

March 1, 2024

In this episode, photographer Bobby Talamine discusses his long career photographing rock bands. He talks about starting out shooting industrial bands in Chicago in the 1980s, and his approach of capturing moody, high-contrast black and white photos. Talamine also shares anecdotes about photographing bands like Depeche Mode, New Order, and The Replacements over the years.

Episode 158 cover
🎸 Replacements

#158: Nick Miller

February 16, 2024

Nick Miller, a legendary Chicago concert promoter, discusses his decades-long career booking shows for acts like Cheap Trick, Bruce Springsteen, and Jeff Beck. The hosts and Miller share stories of their most memorable concerts, including seeing the Replacements, Depeche Mode, and Metallica early in their careers. Miller recounts his unconventional start in the music business and reflects on how the Chicago music scene has evolved over the years.

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#139: Halloween ll: Stans For Satan

October 13, 2023

The episode discusses songs involving Satan or the devil. The hosts and guests each take turns picking songs that fit this theme, with some rules and restrictions in place. They discuss and debate the various songs chosen, ranging from classic rock and metal tracks to more obscure selections.

Episode 108 cover
🎸 Replacements

#108: Aly Jados

March 10, 2023

Aly Jados, singer and guitarist of the band Blood People, discusses her musical background growing up in the Chicago suburbs. She talks about her experiences auditioning for American Idol in front of Steven Tyler, making it to Hollywood before being eliminated. Jados also shares stories behind the Blood People name and the band's songwriting process as they work on a new album.

Episode 103 cover
🎸 Replacements

#103: Gene Ambo

February 3, 2023

Gene Ambo, a renowned Chicago music photographer, discusses his decades-long career shooting iconic metal, punk and hardcore bands at venues like Metro in Chicago. Ambo talks about his beginnings sneaking cameras into shows in the early 80s, building relationships with bands and magazines, and how the music photography scene has evolved over time. He also shares stories of memorable shows he's shot, from Metallica to Danzig, and reveals plans for future photo book projects focused on the hardcore and hip-hop scenes.

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#81: Paul Massaro

September 2, 2022

Paul Massaro discusses his experiences working as a live sound engineer and tour manager for bands like Local H, Cheap Trick, Mastodon, and Andrew WK. He shares wild stories from the road, including getting kicked off the Ozzfest tour after Brent from Mastodon insulted another band and trashed a bathroom, and an infamous incident where Paul destroyed a hotel room after partying too hard. Paul explains how the grind of constant touring and partying eventually led him to stop working on the road so he could focus on his family.

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#57: Keith Smith

March 11, 2022

Scott Lucas, Gabe Rodriguez and Ben Reiser interview their high school friend Keith Smith, who is in the Christian metal band Oblivion Myth. They discuss Keith's musical journey, his faith, and reminisce about the metal and hard rock scene they grew up with in Zion, Illinois in the 1980s and early 1990s.

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#56: Happy Anniversary!

March 4, 2022

Scott, Gabe and Ben celebrate the one year anniversary of their Lifers podcast by discussing listener feedback on favorite moments and guests from the past year. They reflect on how the podcast has evolved, their own rapport and dynamic, and memorable interviews with musicians like Justine Frischmann, John McCauley, and Scott's dad. Despite not having a clear mission, the hosts agree the podcast works as an entertaining hangout capturing the experience of friends casually discussing music and life.

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#48: Greg Corner

January 7, 2022

Greg Corner discusses his experiences growing up as a metalhead in the Chicago suburbs, playing in the band Kill Hannah, and navigating the major label music industry in the early 2000s. He also recounts how he transitioned into DJing, eventually playing Barack Obama's 50th birthday party fundraiser in 2011. Throughout the conversation, Greg and the hosts share stories and opinions on various music and pop culture topics.

Episode 47 cover

#47: Page Hamilton

December 31, 2021

Page Hamilton, guitarist and vocalist of the band Helmet, discusses the band's early days playing in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He talks about the influence of jazz and classical music on his guitar playing, getting signed to Interscope Records amidst a major label bidding war in the wake of Nirvana's success, and briefly playing guitar with David Bowie in the late 1990s.

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#43: Steve Tulipana

December 3, 2021

Steve Tulipana, owner of Record Bar in Kansas City, discusses his experiences as a musician and venue owner. He talks about discovering punk rock, starting bands like Season of Risk, opening for bands like Fugazi, getting signed to and dropped from a major label in the 90s, appearing in the movie Strange Days, and eventually opening Record Bar to support the local music scene. Despite setbacks, he's kept going and adapted. He also discusses challenges venues have faced during the pandemic with restrictions and getting government aid to stay afloat.

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#38: Road Report #7: A Day Off in NYC with Justine McMahon

October 29, 2021

Scott Lucas and Justine McMahon discuss their day off in New York City, which included seeing the movies Possession and The French Dispatch. They also reminisce about Justine's bartending days at NYC music venues like Trash Bar and Mercury Lounge, and humorously debate topics like tipping etiquette, pineapple on pizza, and the Ozzy vs Dio eras of Black Sabbath.

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#36: Brian Blockinger

October 15, 2021

Scott Lucas and his bandmate Ryan both tested positive for Covid in the middle of their tour, forcing them to cancel several sold-out shows and quarantine at home. Despite feeling relatively okay, Scott is bummed about having to miss shows right as the tour was hitting its stride. However, the band plans to resume the tour at the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta which will take place outdoors.

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#35: Matt Garcia

October 8, 2021

Scott Lucas and Matt Garcia discuss the early days of their band Local H, including their influences from metal and punk music that shaped the band's heavy sound. Garcia, who was Local H's original bass player, left the band in the early 1990s due to personal struggles and the challenges of the rock and roll lifestyle. Though Garcia has some regrets, he is ultimately happy with his decision to leave and has gone on to have a fulfilling career as an artist in Portland.

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#32: Road Report #5: On The Road With Soul Asylum (Final Week)

September 17, 2021

Scott Lucas recounts playing Soul Asylum's hit song "Runaway Train" at a show, which angered frontman Dave Pirner at the time, though Pirner later claimed it was a joke. The episode features several interview clips with Soul Asylum band members discussing how they joined the group and what touring has been like during the pandemic.

Episode 26 cover

#26: Jill Hopkins

August 6, 2021

Jill Hopkins, a DJ and radio host in Chicago, discusses her career in music broadcasting and podcasting on this episode of the Lifers podcast with Scott Lucas and Gabe Rodriguez. Hopkins talks about her work at Chicago public radio stations WBEZ and Vocalo, her love for the city of Chicago, and reminisces about 80s and 90s music and MTV. She also mentions some of her other projects like a Beyoncé podcast series and a show called The Opus where she does deep dives into classic albums.

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#21: Herb Rosen

July 2, 2021

Herb Rosen, owner of Liars Club in Chicago, reminisces about his time playing in punk bands Rights of the Accused and Beer Nuts in the late 80s and early 90s. He shares wild stories from life on the road involving drugs, nudity, and pranks. The conversation also delves into Herb's love of KISS, a serious motorcycle accident he survived, and an upcoming variety show he hosts on Vans Channel 66.